I'm aware of the many new products "out there" that can make HIV a livable condition, along the lines of Herpes and the cold, but knowing that you are a doctor, I dont trust modern medicine... I view them as little more than ways to make money without curing ANYTHING (noting that the last thing 'cured' was polio...)

He's on Norvir, Reyetaz, and one other I cant remember... and in a way I wish he would've thought about therapeutic herbs FIRST ( because from what I understand man made meds counteract Nature's bounty), because I've done research on DMG, Venus Fly Trap Extract, Yarrow, and of course, my favorite, oil of oregano, and it seems as if those herbs would do a hell of a job...without HALF the negatory side effects such as diarrhea. So, question one is... would it be better to try homeopathic meds first? Or should I bother asking a doctor anyway, considering I think most ( no offense..I've just been disheartened) MDs and PhDs are cahooting with the pharmaceutical community for kick backs --not cures?

Secondly...

I've always been a believer in herbal medicines.. I take oil of oregano for viral infections, not bacterial ones, i take garlic oil pills at night as a blood cleanser, drink plenty of green tea, exercise, and drink lots of water. I am familiar with how HIV works, but I'm troubled, because of the extent of my boyfriend and mine's relationship... the amount of intimacy involved, and the chance that I will become positive as well. In other words...

WHAT DO WE (or I for that matter) DO?? :(
sincerely,

Vittoria Falconer

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hello Victoria,

I disagree with essentially all your assumptions and comments, so if your mind is already made up, you can probably stop reading here, but I hope you don't.

Disagreement #1: There are many new products "out there" that can make HIV a livable condition along the lines of herpes and the cold . . . ." From my over-quarter-of-a-century experience treating HIV/AIDS patients plus my 16 years of being personally "virally enhanced," I can assure you living with HIV/AIDS is nothing at all like herpes or the common cold, even with the significant advances we've made in the development of antiretroviral medications.

Disagreement #3: Medications "counteract Nature's bounty." Actually many modern medicines were developed from "Nature's Bounty" (plants). The possibility of drug-natural supplement interactions exists, as do drug-drug interactions and natural supplement-natural supplement interactions!

Disagreement #5: DMG, Venus Fly Trap Extract, Yarrow and, of course, your favorite oil of oregano would do "a hell of a job" treating HIV. Despite your "research," I must respectfully disagree. If your concoction really treated HIV effectively, do you think I would still be taking handfuls of potent antiretrovirals and coping with their side effects to stay alive? And how about Magic Johnson, would he choose to take potent HIV meds with side effects and toxicities if there really were a safer effective alternative?

Disagreement #5: Homeopathy. In my opinion homeopathy is not only ineffective in treating HIV/AIDS; it's completely ineffective in treating all other ailments as well. Large well conducted scientific studies have definitively proven that homeopathy is a completely ineffective treatment modality. The basic premise is quite ludicrous. Here it is: someone is administered tiny, tiny, tiny amounts of a substance that in larger doses would induce symptoms, like those caused by the illness. For example, if someone had the flu, a homeopathic remedy would be a tiny amount of something that would cause nausea. The substance is diluted in water to the point that it is "undetectable." The water is said to "remember" the substance. As it turns out, water's ability to "remember" is the same as its ability to speak French or do calculus.

Disagreement #6: MDs and PhDs are "cahooting" with the pharmaceutical for kickbacks, not cures. It is true some physicians and scientists work for pharmaceutical companies to help design and evaluate new medications, but to claim all or even most MDs work for kickbacks is both unsubstantiated and a bit paranoid.

Disagreement #7: "Believing" in herbal medicines. Medicine is a branch of science and based on scientific facts and principles. Belief systems belong in church. You can "believe" in the Holy Ghost or the Loch Ness Monster or the existence of "compassionate conservativism." These things can never be proven or disproven because they don't exist. However, the efficacy or lack of efficacy of oil of oregano for the treatment of viral infections is something that can be proved or disproved with scientific study. So whether you "believe" in it or not doesn't change the fact the reality that oil of oregano doesn't have any effect whatsoever in the treatment of viral illnesses, including HIV. My advice is that you save your oregano and garlic for a nice marinara sauce and reconsider your "beliefs" in modern medicine.

Finally to your question: "What do we (or I, for that matter) do?" It seems your boyfriend is being appropriately treated. You, on the other hand, have much to learn if you want to help your boyfriend cope with his new reality of being HIV positive. I suggest you begin by familiarizing yourself with the wealth of information on this Web site. Begin with the basic information that can be accessed under the "Quick Links" heading on The Body's homepage. You should also review the information in the archives relating to "magnetic couples."

This forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not rendering medical, mental health, legal or other professional advice or services. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, mental health, legal or other problem that requires advice, consult your own caregiver, attorney or other qualified professional.

Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.

The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 750 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.